Teaching All Day, Parenting All Night: How to Survive the Exhaustion

And how to Manage Both Without Burning Out

Where my teachers at? From the front to back—is you feeling that? Put one hand up… Students all day long: “Ummm… I wasn’t listening. Can you repeat that? Or more like, ‘I have no idea, I wasn’t listening, what’s going on?’”

Am I the Only One?

Am I the only one? Dude, I’m the ART teacher—the space of creative freedom and self-expression. And when kids can’t even chill out in my room, I’m here to tell you: TEACHING IS HARD. It’s mentally, and sometimes physically, exhausting. You plan your lessons, align the standards, make it engaging, and do all the things. But then, after eight hours of putting on your game face, making sure every kid that walks into your room feels loved, appreciated, and learned something—DUHH, DUHHH, DUHHHHH—you have to pack up and pick up your own kids to repeat this all over again, but with a little less energy.

Parenting After a Long Day

You’ve done it ALL day long. You’ve parented other people’s kids, and now it’s time for your own. Part 2 of Day 1. You pick them up, hug them, chat about their day, do the normal things. And then what? Chill out on the couch until bedtime? No way. Not when you’re a parent. Not when you have young kids who’ve been craving your attention all day and are so incredibly happy you’re finally home.

The Emotional Baggage of a Teacher-Parent

But here’s the kicker: when you’re a teacher, you never not bring something home with you. It’s not just papers to grade or assignments to assess; it’s the baggage—the emotional weight of the kids who don’t go home with you. You wonder about their lives, what words they’re being spoken to, what their nights must be like. And this is why teacher parents care so, so much. We see the lack of parenting in our communities. We know when a child’s been given an iPad as a pacifier, when imagination is lost, or when the word “no” has never been said to them. We’re the receivers of all of this. And, after a mentally, sometimes physically, and always emotionally draining day, we pick up our kids with a new hope for part 2 of Day 1.

Practical Tips for Surviving Teacher-Parent Life

Maybe in the car, on the way home from school, I let them decompress with “YouTube Kids” or something similar. I’m not perfect, and I need some peace too. But do I rely on others to parent my kids? Absolutely not.

At the end of the day, it’s MY job to teach my children, not the other way around. My job as a parent is to raise good human beings, and my job as an educator is to teach the curriculum. The lines between these roles blur, and it’s exhausting.  And Finding my fuel to keep it up the rest of the day until bedtime can be exhausting, but I have found things that help get me through, and might help you too: 

Practical Ways to be Present After a Long Day:

1. Hug them tight. When I pick my kids up, I’m beyond excited. I hug them so close because they’ve been waiting for this moment all day. (And so have I!)
2. Take some time to decompress. Allow yourself a break in the car. Pop in a movie, hand over the phone for a bit, or take the long way home for some peace before the craziness at home begins.
3. Get out of the house. If you get off work earlier than your partner, and you’re home alone with the kids, it can feel overwhelming. So, go to the park, take a walk, visit the arcade, or just go to the grocery store together. Time goes faster when you’re having fun, and you’re building memories.
4. Play a game. When you get home, get the kids playing something everyone can enjoy. Kids are so creative! They can come up with games using wrapping paper (my kids slide on it) or cardboard, or stickers or whatever you have on hand. Any of this can also be found at the dollar store. This will keep them engaged while you tackle dinner, tidying, or whatever else you need to do. Tonight, for example, my kids took a bunch of little stickers and decorated the bathroom for my youngest’s birthday in a month… Is it pretty according to me? No, but did they have fun while causing no harm? YES! And they’re darn proud of their interior decorating skills!
5. Lock the bathroom door. Seriously—if your kids are safe and you just need a minute, lock yourself in the bathroom. Take a few minutes for yourself to regroup, close your eyes, breathe, or scroll. It’s okay to take a break. If mom’s stressed, everyone is stressed. Here are a couple of links to 5 minute meditations that are super helpful to just chill TF out for a minute and regroup.

1. Bathtime for the win. If you have younger kids, bathtime can be a great way to give yourself a break while they relax. You can get some stuff done, or just enjoy a moment of peace.
2. Be present. Time is fleeting. My “baby” is almost three, and I could cry just thinking about it. My almost 7-year-old is growing so fast, I barely recognize the baby she once was. Unless I look at pictures, I don’t even notice how much they’ve changed. They’ll wake up tomorrow taller, a little older, and thinking a bit differently. So, hold onto the present—it’s all we truly have.

In Conclusion: We’ve Got This

So, my fellow teacher-parents, working parents, full-time parents, we’ve got this. Balance is hard, but if we remember to be present and cherish the time with the ones we love, we can live our best lives.

As teacher-parents, we know the struggle is real. How do you balance teaching and parenting in your own life? Drop a comment below or share your favorite tips for surviving the chaos… I know I need all the advice I can get!